Priestess
by JaylaAngel
Summary: Claire Danvers is your average...well not-so-average girl. Well, what if she had an even stranger sibling? A twin, perhaps. A twin who has been raised to fight monsters, like the vampires of Morganville. These two were separated at birth, but what if they come together to defeat some of the most powerful monsters in the world? Rated T for language and fluffy stuff. DISCLAIMER
1. Prologue

_** I absolutely love this series! Personally, I'm not a big fan of the main character not really having any special abilities, but the sexiness and kick-ass vampires (Myrnin 3) made up for it. But I thought there should be one more kick-ass girl in this story, so enjoy!**_

_**EXPLANATION CHAPTER**_

_**AKA**_

_**PROLOGUE**_

There's an ancient belief that there are a select few humans that hold a religous power and are closer to God than most. In ancient times these people were held in high power and were wll respected through-out nations. No matter what religion, there were always monsters, so there had to be someone to kill these monsters.

Some call them monks, but most call them Priests/Priestesses.

Over the centuries, they've died down in numbers. As humanity grew to claim the world, their knowledge of monsters and these special humans no longer exsisted. Most of the big monsters had been killed or sealed away, some were still in hiding.

So they have been in hiding as well. Carrying out their duty to protect man-kind. They are known as Priests or Priestesses. They hold mystical powers given to them by divine right. Their connection to God strenthens their abilities, and their training also helps.

On the island of, Island of God, these people have hidden. The elders have taught the new generations the secrets and have pushed them to their maximum potential. There only being one ruler who held the eternal power. The power to vanquish with just a small prayer or a glance, as the legend goes. This ruler, or king, stays on island. For if he were to enter the human world, monsters would not cease until he were dead. The king held the center of all religous power. Only he could give it in the name of God, or take it in the name of God.

But, the numbers of Priests and Priestess are decreasing. The less man-kind believes, the less religous power lies within the world.

At this very moment, in late Novemer _**(or whenever Claire's birthday is. Could someone PM me and tell me so I know.) **_in a hospital in North-East Texas, two crying twins are born. Both curled around each other, both wailing for their mother.

The doctor takes them away to do _tests_. However, the doctor is also a Priest, asigned to find potential students for the island. The powers mostly lie withing twins, usually just one twin. The eldest one. The Priest takes the eldest and holds the crying infant in his palm. He holds out a silver cross that hangs around his neck by a silver chain.

He holds it over the infant and murmurs a silent prayer in the ancient tongue. Then he speaks in modern day english. "My lord, I present to thee with this child. Is she one whom you wish to serve you?"

Infant had stopped whining and was now laying, silently in the man's palm. Upon her wrist, just above her birthmark which was identical to her sister's, whom was still crying and kicking around, glowed a tiny mark of a cross.

The man smiled. The mark. "As you wish my lord," he said.

The parents were told that one of the infants had died, and one had survived. The parents mourned of course, but took their alive daughter in their arms and named her Claire.

"And the other?" the Priest asked them, "What would her name have been?"

The woman and man shared a look. The mother almost started bawling again, so the man answered.

"Her name would have been Cara." he told the man.

The Priest nodded, "I am sorry for your loss, but you do have a beautiful dauhgter," he said. The truth was, Cara was very much alive, just on her way to _Insula Dei _to become a monster-fighing, protector-of-man, soldier-of-god. Cara Danvers was a name never uttered among man's world, but it grew to be quite popular on the island as the girl matured.

The two grew up leading separate lives. Claire becoming exceptionaly intelligent and making her parents proud by going to college at just the age of sixteen.

Cara grew to be one of the greatest priestesses on the island. Her heart and mind were pure. She was strong and the cunning of a fox. She was deadly, but a beautiful soul. Although, she felt a strange pull to go to man's world.

She insisted that it was to fight monsters other than places than just an arena, but something told her it was much more.


	2. Island of God

_** So, Claire has a kick ass twin! Oh yeah! Shit just got interesting, don't ya think? Well, enjoy! And please review!**_

_**Cara's POV**_

"Now, presenting our reining champion; Cara!" the announcer spoke up as the bronze gate rose up to allow me to enter into the Roman-like arena. My long brown hair was tied back in a tight braid so it wouldn't get in my face, my blue eyes squinted agasint the sudden flash of the sun. My outfit was a simple warrior's outfit. Black leggings, a blue tank top with the crest of my squadron. We were the Eagles. The most powerful squadron of our age-group. Our crest was an Eagle spreading out its wings, throwing its head back in mid-caw, and its talons outstretched as if they were coming towards you. I was second-in-command of it. I had chain-mail fitted over my clothes just for that secure feeling of protection.

It was like a major bowl, the rims had seats with people screaming and chanting my name. And the bottom was covered in sand, with only two entrances. The one I had just come out of, and the one this supposed new monster was fixing to come out of.

Up in the stands was a closed off section for the king. He was there, his long dark hair, go-tee, and white robes. He didn't have a crown. I've seen pictures where he used to have one, but I guess since they let the island become a little modern, he changed, too. Not much, as you can see by the robes.

Still, I had been fighting in this arena since I had learned how to sword fight. Thanks to my mentor who was sitting somewhere up in the crowd, probably with a wine glass in his hands and millions of girls surrounding him. My mentor was in his mid-thirties, but acted as if he were three. Mentors were supposed to be like a parent-figure. My mentor was more of a friend/brother figure. I liked it better that way.

"And now, the monstorous beast captured by none other than our top most student, Seth Arrows!"

Oh spare me. This _top most student _stood up in the stands. It wasn't hard to find him. He was my rival. The reason I strived to be the best. I had always come in second place with him. I run a lap in ten seconds, he runs it in nine. I do three-hundred sit ups, he does two-hundred. I'm the second-in-command of the best squadron, and he's first-in-command. The arena however, was my domain. I had never once seen him enter this place. This was the one place _I _was number one, and not mister, perfect-at-everything. Yes. Including looks. He had it all.

The wavy black hair that he could shake and ruffle, but it would still look good. The lucious green eyes, and that smile that made all the girls squeal, the olive skin, well toned muscles, and harldy a blemish on that oh-so-perfect skin of his. (Sarcasm) Even from where he stood, I saw him grinning and waving to a few girls. Then he turned to me and gave me a big thumbs-up.

My grip on the hilt of my sword tightened. "Why that little-" I scowled under my breath. He did whatever he could to make it look like we were friends, but he could not deny that we were rivals. I will defeat him one day. Perhaps, maybe today. Yes! I'll challenge him again, and this time I'll win.

"And now! The beast!" the announcer cried and up came the other gate.

It was dark down in the tunnels of the prison we held under the arena. It was a complex system, controlled by a man from a box sitted on the very top of the whole arena. The cages were electrically controlled. A simple switch could open them all. It helped saves us from injuries of having actually people open the cages. See what I mean about the island becoming more modern-ized?

The monster howled before rushing out of the cave, bouncing around on it's slimy four legs, at the end were talons, and the head seemed to be that of a snake. Humph. This didn't look all the tough.

It ran around the arena, trying to find a way out. The stands were blocked by nets, and whenever the monster touched it, it was shocked.

I made one small step and it turned to face me with amphibian eyes. Seriously? I could take this thing. If they'd ever let me off this island. I knew the arena was my chance to prove to the king and council that I was ready for my own mission.

I wanted to bring back my own monster, and see Seth Arrows try and defeat it. I'd go out and find the bad-est, meanest, crule-est monster I know, just to see him try and kill it.

The monster came at me. A little crown enflaming around it's head, and then blue-hot fire spitting from its mouth. I dodged, and rolled over to cut a big long slash in its side. The monster hissed and rolled a couple feet. I watched it wiggle to its feet, and limp around to come at me again.

I wasn't going to dodge it this time. I was going to kill it. To prove to everyone. I was more than just a fighter. My powers were also great.

I dropped my sword and everyone gasped. I remained perfectly still as the monster rushed towards me. It's eyes narrowing at me, and then a slight grin on its face when it saw that I was un-armed.

Like always before using magic, you must pray. It didn't have to be that hand-holding crap. Just a simple, "Allow me your strength, lord." but you gotta learn all this in the anceint language. Bascially, Latin.

_"Permitte mihi virtutem, Domine!" _I shouted, raising my palms towards the monster. The mark on my right wrist, just above my half-heart-shaped birthmark, glowed, and soon little tendrils of silver snaked out from my finger-tips to wrap around the monster and slice it. It's blood splattered everywhere and the people erupted with cheer.

The tendrils came back, and my mark stopped glowing. I turned to face the king for my praise, but out of the corner of my eye I saw something move. I turned, ready for a surprise attack, but all I saw a golden tnedril snake its way up the marble wall and disappear with Seth. I scowled. That lousy little—What did he do?

"Cara Danvers!" the kind spoke up. I really didn't like to use my last name. There was no use of it. But apparently it's noble and respectable to announce someone by their last name, or something like that. The king stood up from his seat and the crowd hushed. I turned away from Seth who had not seen my glaring, and I faced the king. "Your skills have become you, with and without the aid of weapons. I congrjulate you and invite you, this evening, to a banquet."

A banquet? Like those things only real priests and preiestess go to? Does that mean I'm going to become a priestess? After all these years! I knew it'd pay off! Finally. The day had come.

I bowed, grinning wickedly. "Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord." I said, or rather shouted, but the crowd was cheering again so I don't think he heard me.

He nodded his head at me and then turned and left. I bowed to the onlookers, and tried to glare at Seth to see if he would notice, but he wasn't in his seat. I scowled and then turned to exit. My scowl was replaced by a grin.

Hah! I'm gonna be sent on the most dangerous of missons. I'm going to bring back more monsters and kill more evil than any priest or priestess before me. I will surpass Seth Arrows in status. I will become number one.

I changed out of my chain-mail and put it in my locker. I thought about taking my hair out of its braid, but then it'd be too loose. No. I wanted to be sure everyone saw my face, and would remember me as this simple gladiator one the day I became the greatest!

I grabbed my sack and headed out into the streets.

The island had become quite populated. Full of retired priests and priestesses who have settled with one another and raise families. They're kids are held as _special _because they come from pure blood. Like, Seth Arrows.

Most of the Eagle squadron had these special kids. Except, me. I'm the only exception, and I wasn't too sure if that made people suspicous of me or if that made them respect me. I looked at it this way; I had earned my spot in Eagle squadron. It was given to me.

The arena sat on top of the second tallest hill on the island. The most tallest hill had the king's palace on top. I could see it from here. It was clear across the island, but I could see the brilliant flags. All an array of color, and with a cross on it. Under a blue flag you would find the Eagle squadron's crest. As for the yellow, they were the lions. The red were the bulls. The purple were the ravens. The green were the snakes. And at the bottom were the brown. The rats.

The housing for the squadrons were spread across the island. The Eagle squadron was the third-biggest building, the palace being the first, and the arena the second, on the whole island. It was like a castle itself. Everything in it was blue. Blue furniture, blue wall-paper, blue tapestries, blue appliances. If we could change the color of fire, I'm pretty sure it'd be blue too.

We had the squadrons scattered for defense purposes. It would look like someone just placed them all in some random posisition. But if you had a sky-view. You would see, that every squadron had its housing in each city on the island.

The island wasn't actually just one island. It was several tiny islands, surrounding a big island where the palace, the arena, and the main colony sat. The other five islands surrounded this one. There had been bridges set up to connect all of the islands, but if you were a pro, you knew how to teleport. Like my mentor.

"Cara!" he cried out, seconds after poofing in right in front of me.

I yelped and jumped back. "I've begged you not to do that," I said breathlessly, as he laughed.

My mentor was a fun guy, but never get him started on moe. I'm not really sure, but I think it has something to do with girls. Actually, I know it does. I just don't know what really. He had blonde hair, and big, always-happy, blue eyes. He lean and always well dressed. Most of all, what you would always find in his hand was a glass of some type of alcoholiv beverage.

"Oh, Cara! You shouldn't be so tense!" he said, putting an arm around my shoulder, "Ah, is someone happy about finally becoming a real priestess?" he pried, the stench of alcohol heavy on his breath.

I shrugged his arm off me. "Nicholas, I believe you've had too much wine." I snickered, holding my hand over my nose. "Your breath stinks."

He crinkled his nose and then locked me in a head lock and started ruffling up my hair. "Call me by my first name, huh? Punishment!"

I laughed as he messed up my hair. He was never serious about punishment. Calling him by his real name was just a test to see if he really was drunk. If he acted like he was now, he was alright, but if he didn't correct you, then he was drunk.

He finally stopped. "Well, I'll let you go get ready. I imagine your friends will be more than happy to get you ready for the banquet this evening." he said, as he walked along side me.

We had entered the gates of the Eagle squadron's mansion. It literally was in the center of the city. The city itself was made of white stone houses and structures. Grass and trees grew lavishly, and blue flowers were commonly found the closer you got to the Eagle mansion. I called it the Blue Palace.

I turned to my mentor, but he was gone with another _poof!_ I sighed and turned back to the mansion. I walked up the steps, taking my hair out of the braid. It was messed up anyways. No point in keeping it like that.

Just as I was about to open the door, I saw figure walk around the side of the huge house. Seth Arrows. He came up the side of the steps with his hands in his pockets and his blue shirt un-buttoned a bit at the top.

I glared at him, but he smiled.

"Good job in the arena today, Cara!" he congrajulated me. "Although, your form was a bit off and dropping your weapon was a fools decision. Not to mention, you took too long to say the prayer." his eyes went cold and his smile faded. "How you have made it this far, I do not understand."

Do you see? Do you see why I hate him? Complete jerk!

"Nobody asked you," I snorted, "Besides, I've been invited to the banquet while you're just gonna mope around here with no one to yell at."

He sighed and took out a vanilla envelope from his pocket. The seal was silver, and it had the cross on it. The king's seal. "I was invited, as well." he said, stuffing the invitation back in his pocket, "Seeing as how I'm an actual priest." he smirked and then brushed past me to the door.

My hands were clenched into fists. Seth was better than me, and he rubbed it in my face every chance he got. Just short little jabs like he just did to completely make me look foolish. Well, not today. Today I'd become a priestess and be better than him.

Seth opened the door and walked in. I followed. Everyone else was seated in the main area watching a movie on our flat-screen TV. There were about thirty people in wach squadron. Most of them were newbies and kept to their rooms unless one of the officers called on them. We had just recently got a fresh batch. Half of them would be gone by the end of the week. Being a pure-blood would get you in, but you have to work to stay in.

There were seven officers. Seth and I being the two main ones, so that left five others. All of them my closest friends. And Seth's, too.

My very best friend got up from the couch she was sitting on, ran over and hugged me. "Oh, Cara! I watched you on the TV. You were so great! I loved the suspense you used. Oh, it was like a movie, where the heroine seems to be deafeted, and all hope is lost, and then in the last breath she strikes out her power and the monster falls. Oh, it was so amazing!" she squealed.

"Arianna," I half-laughed, half-said, "Calm down." Arianna was a small girl for her age. Which was the same as mine. Sixteen. She was a head or two shortedr than me. She had curly, bouncy hair and really pretty blue eyes. She also had _the body_, too. Chest and everything. Not too small, not too big. A gogeous smile, and she was just cool to hang out with. Except for her love for novels, or movies about heroines.

Arianna smiled at me. "Are you going to the banquet with Seth?" she asked, and my good mood vanished.

I glanced at Seth. He was over by the fruit bar munching on an apple. He glanced at me and then turned away.

"No," I said, "He's just going to the same place. We're not going together."

Arianna frowned, "Aw. That's too bad. He was just saying-"

"Arianna!" someone cried, and then slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Hey, Jeffery,"I said as if he weren't muffling Arianna.

Jeffery smiled at me. He was cool, too. He wasn't reprimanding or a jerk like Seth. He was my best-guy friend. He was a pure-blood, too. They all were. He had blonde hair, like Arianna. Well, they were brother and sister. Jeffery was a year older than her. His eyes were blue, too, and he also had a nice smile. "Nice fight, Cara. Very, badass."

"Always," I grinned.

"Oh, just look at yourself!" an exagerated voice cried from the other side of the room. Now, mentors are supposed to be like your parent-figure if you're not a pure-blood, but the girl who was marching over to me was more of a mother than anything else. She had light brown hair that was always tied back in a bun and pinned out of her face. She always had some sort of dress on that made her look like a maid. It suited her, because she always worried about me. Her soft, green eyes were a bit smalli-ish, but she was still prettier than me. They all were.

"You've ripped your shirt, oh and look at that stain!" she huffed, looking down at the dirt stain on my tights.

"That stain's been there forever, Marcy." I said.

She glared at me, "Then why do you still have them?" she demanded, "Why don't you let me buy you new clothes? Or let me put make-up on you? Or let me do something with your hair? You're such a pretty girl! But you act like a—Like a rat."

Arianne shuddered. "I ran into one at the market today. He was so filthy and sleezy. He actually tried to hit on me." I saw Jeffery go into over-protective mode, and I had to grab the back of his shirt to keep him from marching out of here and probably destroy the market place looking for that guy.

"Yeah!" the other guy in our officer group spoke up from where he was half-asleep on the couch. "Those damn rats."

Arianna giggled. "Peter, your face is—is-AHAHA!" Arianna just exploded with giggles and Peter sat up to face us. I was snickered. Not giggling or laughing. Just snickering. Someone, probably Jeffery, had drawn a mustache on Peter's face.

"What?" he demanded, "What are y'all laughing at?" Peter was dark skinned, dark eyes, and lazy, but reliable. Sorta. If we were ranked, which we were, so he was number seven. Marcy was four, Jeffery was five, and Arianna was six. Wait, where's three? Hm.

"Look out below!" a voice called from the banister. Ah, there she is. A daredevil as usual.

She landed on her feet and then bowed at the applause we gave her. She looked up and smiled at me. "Pretty wicked moves out there, Cara. But if it had been me, I'd been all over the monster. He wouldn't stand a chance."

I laughed a bit, "Thanks, Drew." her real name was Diana, but she wanted something cooler. Besides me, she was the only tom-boy in this place. Except, she went extreme with it. To where she had cut her dark brown hair short, and wore baggy, boy clothes. I at least tried to be feminine. I didn't wear make-up or anything too fancy. Usually jeans or tights with a comfortable shirt.

Drew walked up, her hands in her back pockets. "So, I hear we gonna go beat up some rats. Count me in."

"One hit on my sister!" Jeffery cried out as if he could have been sobbing.

Marcy folded her arms over her chest and turned her nose up. "Those rats should stay on their island. I don't understand why they come here. It's like the don't know showers exsist."

"Or laughter. Like the good kind." Arianna piped up.

I sighed, "Marcy, Arianna, you're being unfair." I said. I didn't like talking about others like this. Like they were below us. Or something different.

"Well, it's their fault for being so illy-minded and poor soldiers to begin with," Seth said, coming over to us. "Bascially a disgrace and should not even be here."

I rounded on him. "Maybe they have good potential but it's snobs like you who don't let them prove themselves!" I snapped.

Seth merely looked at me. He gave away no emotion at all. Then he looked at Marcy. "Did my suit come in?" he asked.

Marcy nodded, "Yes. It's on your bed." she told him. He nodded and walked off with me glaring at him.

First he puts me down on my special day. The day I become a priestess. The day I get the king's blessing. Then he thinks he has the right to judge people he hardly knows. No. I will not stand for this.

"Seth Arrows!" I called to him to where he stood on the first step of the big staircase that led up to the rooms. On the left were all the boy's rooms, and on the right were the girls. On the first floor was the wide, open main room, and then through an always open door was the dining room that was connected to the kitchen.

He turned from where he was on the steps, and gave me a bored expression.

I held my glare. "I challenge you," I said.

Behind me the others mumbled things like, "Oh jeez. Here we go again," and "Please, don't start this," and from Marcy, "You'll get all dirty!"

Seth walked over to me, "Fine." he said.

It was our usual brawling place. The empty patch of grass in the garden. It was about the size of the main room which took up half of the mansion. Seth stood on one side with the iron fence as his crowd. I stood with the house and everyone else behind me. Peter brought out his Iphone. Apparently, he had a channel and had started posting videos of our fights. Only people on the island could see it though.

Seth stood there looking calm and bored. I was ready. Today I had been invited to the banquet by the king to be made a priestess. Today just had to be my day. God was smiling down upon me. And now it was time to take my place as first-in-command of the Eagle squadron. Y'know, and bring shame and humiliation to Seth Arrows as well.

Jeffery came out and stood there with a flag. We used to just launch ourselves at each other, but then the garden and some parts of the house would always get damaged, so we finally got a referee. It would be Jeffery and Marcy in this case. Arianna, Peter, and Drew stood on the sidelines.

Jeffery gave me a long look and I nodded. He did the same to Seth who didn't move. His version of noddinng. Jeffery sighed and muttered, "This will never end."

Wrong. Today it will.

"Alright, terms and conditions!" Jeffery shouted, "Whoever wins this fight will become commanding officer, and gets to use our only carriage to ride to the banquet this evening."

Oh! A bonus. Nice.

"Rules!" Jeffery shouted, "People on the sidelines cannot intervene," he shot a quick glare at Drew who just shrugged. She liked to get involved with fights. Any type of fighting. Jeffery sighed and looked back at Seth and I. "the first to yeild, loses. If you cause significant harm to your opponent, you will be forfeited and your opponent will win."

Hey. Can't really have part of your team dead, can you? Even if that part is annoying and a big jerk.

"Are you ready?" Jeffery asked and we both nodded. He waved the flag and jumped back as Seth and I both sent our auroras at each other.

Mine was a silver-color which you would think would be common in this place, but it wasn't. Nicholas—My mentor said that silver was a rare color, but it showed good spirit and intentions. I guess it's the main reason I got put in this squadron. And yet, another thing Seth Arrows has me beat at. My aurora color was rare, but his was even more...rare.

His was a deep, shiny, golden aurora. Ten times as rare as mine. Like always, his brilliant green eyes changed into golden slates, and I'm pretty sure my eyes were little silver discs.

We stood at opposite ends and let our energy rush at each other, surging in the middle into a silver and gold sphere. Swelling bigger and bigger by the minute, but we were each only using one hand. To use my other one would double my strength, but then he would have to use his, and I'd be beat. I had to wait.

My waiting paid off...kinda. Seth did use his other hand, only to send a golden tendril slingshotting around the sphere and towards me. I jumped up, avoiding both the tendril and the rush of his power. He grinned.

"Getting better," he smirked as he suddenly appeared in front of me. Then he frowned, "Your form's still off."

I ony had time to get out a, "huh?" before notcing another tendril wrapping around my ankle and yanking me back down to the ground, hard. I literally made a small crator in the grass.

Jeffery blew his whistle and then marched over to Seth, while Marcy and Arianna appeared to help me up.

"Seth Arrows, you are disqualified." Jeffery snapped. Wow. I had never seen him so angry before.

I stood up and then pushed Arianna and Marcy away. It was going to end like this.

"Again," I said.

Jeffery spun around, "Cara, don't you'll-"

"Stay out of this!" I growled at him. I glared at Seth, "I'm going to defeat you."

Seth shrugged, "I'd love to stay here for all eternity, but you've won. Congrajulations." he crouched down, and flipped backwards over the iron fence. "I'll be back for dinner." he said and walked off.

I stood there. I won? Out of forefeit! That little-

Someone slung their arm over my shoulder. "Congrats!" Drew said, "Now what's your first official order as first-commanding officer?"

Oh right. If I won this fight, I was number one. But I didn't win. "No." I said through gritted teeth, "I didn't win. I'm not first-commanding-officer."

"But. He forfeited." Peter said, "That means you win."

"No!" I snapped, "It just means this fight is left for another day. When I win the posisiton, it's going to be out of a fair fight. I'm going to _defeat _him. I will not win by forfeit."

They all groaned.

Marcy marched up with Jeffery. "Just look at yourself," she said to me, "More dirty than you were when you came through the door. Honestly, I don't know why you two fight. You-"

Again, Jeffery put his hand over another mouth for his second time today. "Why don't you let Arianna and Marcy help you get ready for the banquet?" he suggested.

"What about me? I can help, too!" Drew huffed.

"You would have her arrive in baggy shorts and piercings all over." Jeffery snorted.

Drew grinned, "True."

Marcy nodded and Jeffery backed off. Marcy slipped her arm through mine, and Arianna did the same on my other side.

"This is going to be so much fun," Arianna said and she continued to babble about how this was like the part in a heronies life when she proves herself not only to be storng and a courageous fighter, but beautiful and a rightful suitor as well.

"Arianna," I said while Marcy was brushing my hair as I sat in my bathtub with Arianna picking the dirt out of my finger nails. "You really need to-" she looked up at me with those eyes. Those eyes that could make anyone do what she wanted, but when she started speaking with those eyes, she could make you do the macarena in your underwear. Ask Peter, he pissed her off last week. "Let me borrow one of your books." I said and got a doubtful look from Marcy as Arianna squealed.

"Okay! I know just the one you'll like! It's really cool, it's about-"

She went on talking about the book, and basically gave it all away, but it was okay. I wasn't going to actually read it anyway.

After the bath Marcy made me try on a dress she had bought in the market today. _**(Picture on my profile in my images!)**_ It was laying on my bed. My room consisted of a mahogony desk, a ginat window with a balcony that looked out over part of the garden, a walk in closet, my own bathroom, and a four-poster bed that had a dresser with a flat-screen TV in it. And of course, like the house, the walls were painted blue, but I had pictures and posters posed everywhere. Mostly of random stuff, just so I knew which of these rooms was mine.

It was like Marcy knew. It was a silvery-blue dress. The torso fit mine well, extremely to where it showed my curves. The rest of it was a soft fabric that floated and swayed even in the slightest breeze. It was a floor-length dress(thank God! I had scrapes and brusies all over my legs!), rising a bit in front so I could show off some fancy shoes, that I did now own. It was strapless. I only had one scar on my arm, actually it was just at the base of my right shoulder. The only other things were my weird half-of-a-heart birthmark, and my cross mark. All on my right arm.

"Why do you always stare at that thing?"Arianna asked, "It's the same as mine and Marcy's."

I looked away from it. "I don't know, maybe to keep telling myself that I really am here, that I'm an awesome, kick-ass priestess." Marcy coughed, "Er, well, I'm going to be, tonight anyways."

Arianna frowned, "And that's what you've always wanted, isn't it?" she asked mournfully.

I looked at her, "Why so upset?" I asked.

She shook her head and looked up at me with a fake smile. I could tell it was fake. I could also tell that she didn't want me to know that. "It's nothing. Just be sure to write from wherever they station you."

"And visit," Marcy said as she tugged my hair into her curling iron. "If you don't, I'll send Jeffery after you."

Jeffery was a priest, he was just stationed in the city to become a mentor and help out around the house. Because, one; he didn't want to leave his baby sister, and two; Jeffery's never been too fond of man's world, but he'd go if one of us were in trouble.

Arianna giggled, "Or Seth."

I scowled, "You better not or I'll purposefully mistake him for a monster and kill him." Marcy yanked the hand full of my hair she had, and I yelped. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"I know you hate him, Cara, but he had good intentions, and he's a good leader. I'm not saying that you wouldn't be, but you honestly need to get over this rivalry, it's childish and wearing you out. Not to mention putting dents in our home and our lovely flower garden. Besides, Seth does care about-" Arianna coughed, it sounded real but it made Marcy stop so I wasn't really sure, "Seth does care about us." Marcy finished quickly.

"And that means you, too." Arianna chimed in.

I snorted, "Yeah, right. If he cares so much why doesn't he show it? Why does he always ridicule me and yell at me for little things that I can't control? Like, just yesterday, how is it my fault that the door was unlocked and a stray cat got in? It's not! Peter was the last one out!"

Seth _cares_. Pft, yeah right. He only cares about himself and his stupid, rich, pure-blood reputation. Nothing more.


	3. Confessions and Secrets

_** Okay, so that first chapter went on a little longer than I wanted, so this is a chapter about Seth's thoughts, but mostly it's gonna stick with Cara. This is gonna be the interesting chapter...I hope. Please review! And I might get some information wrong, so please PLEASE correct me! I don't have the books with me at the moment.**_

_** Enjoy!**_

_**Seth's POV**_

"You better not or I'll purposefully mistake him for a monster and kill him." I heard her scowl from where I stood on the rim of Cara's balcony. I don't know what happened next, I just heard her yelp. "Ouch! What was that for?" Marcy must have done something.

"I know you hate him, Cara, but he had good intentions, and he's a good leader. I'm not saying that you wouldn't be, but you honestly need to get over this rivalry, it's childish and wearing you out. Not to mention putting dents in our home and our lovely flower garden. Besides, Seth does care about-" Arianna coughed, it sounded real but it made Marcy stop. "Seth does care about us." Marcy finished quickly.

"And that means you, too." Arianna chimed in.

Cara snorted, "Yeah, right. If he cares so much why doesn't he show it? Why does he always ridicule me and yell at me for little things that I can't control? Like, just yesterday, how is it my fault that the door was unlocked and a stray cat got in? It's not! Peter was the last one out!"

I had heard enough. I jumped down onto the little stone path that cut through the garden of fruit trees, flowers, weird plants that I didn't really know what they were. I had lived in this mansion for five years. Cara's been here for four. The first couple months upon her arival I was skeptical.

She wasn't a pure blood. Her parents had been human, or _are _human depending on whether they were alive or not. Most likely, they weren't. Cara was basically a rat. She had been part of the rat squadron actually, she'd been leader of it. Then leader of all the other squadrons until coming here, where she wasn't having too much luck with that.

But she quickly moved up rank here, and now she was after my posisition. Yes, I despised her at first. Now, she was cunning, as deadly, as great as anyone I had ever seen. I admired her strengths in silence and could only seem to point out her flaws. I felt myself purposefully trying to find something that was wrong. These flaws were getting harder and harder to find.

Cara would undoubtedly take my position very soon. She was becoming a true priestess tonight. That's the only reason you get invited to banquets. Either to help celebrate a pupil becoming a priest/priestess, or you're the pupil becoming the priest/priestess.

I tried to step down today, to just let her take it so she didn't have to go through all the dangerous monster hunting out on man's world.

In truth, Marcy was right. I did care. In fact, I cared so much I made a slip of the toungue yesterday while Cara was out sparring or working on her technique.

_ We were all been sitting in the main room watching some fight. It was Drew's turn to have the remote. Arianna was curled up in one of the many window seats reading a book. Jeffery was scolding Drew for having such attatchment to this fight on TV. Marcy was hemming one of Cara's shirts that had ripped, and Peter was sleeping._

_ My eyes drifted back to Cara's shirt. She had gotten that tear while we were fighting, and it had been quite a revealing tear, too. I had gotten slapped by all three girls. Well, Drew punched the crap out of me. Marcy scolded me that it wasn't kind. And Arianna, well, she was just a sweet little doll who didn't really like violence, but she'd give up that belief in a heartbeat for Cara._

_ But Cara, she didn't seem to care one way or another. We continued fighting with her purple bra showing, and reavling the top of her breasts. There I was sitting there, thinking about it. Thinking about Cara._

_ "Seth? Hey, Seth!" Drew shouted and I snapped my head up to look at her. They were all __looking at me strangely._

_ "What?" I asked, trying to sound casual, but I had just been thinking about a girl's breasts. Cara's breasts._

_ "You just said—You just-" Marcy muttered._

_ I felt my eyebrows raise. I hadn't said anything. "What? What did I say?" I demanded._

_ Peter snickered from where he lay on the couch. "Dude, you were just mumbling Cara's name."_

_ "And I do believe I heard the word 'breasts'." Marcy said cooly._

_ First thought; shit! Second; ow! Because Marcy hit me, again._

_ "I thought you had a better mind than that, Seth!" Marcy scolded me._

_ I stood up, not attending to my cheek even though it really hurt. "Well, it's not my fault! Cara's very attractive and-" Damnit._

_ They all gasped and gave wide eyes. Marcy seemed to didn't know what to say next, so I left. I turned and walked out the door. As soon as it was closed, I bolted. Nearly running into Cara who scowled at me._

Now, as I was walking down one of the market streets and getting waves from some girls, I was regretabbly, well not really, replaying the fight scene with Cara and her breasts, and then, we weren't fighting we were—Crap!

Not paying attention to where I was going I fell over a cabbage stand. The man running the stand helped to my feet and then cursed at me for squishing his cabbages. I paid for the damage and came home with two bag fulls of cabbages.

Jeffery, Peter, and Drew were all in the main room. Peter was asleep, as usual, and Drew was in control of the Tv. Jeffery seemed to have been waiting for me.

"We need to talk," he said sternly. Then he saw the cabbages. "Uh, what-"

"They were on sale," I mumbled and walked into the kitchen with him following me. I placed tge cabbages down on the counter and looked at the chef. "Be sure to not put this in Cara's dish," I told her, and she nodded, dazed by the ammount of cabbages.

As I started to walk out, Jeffery grabbed my arm.

"You need to stop this," he hissed at me.

"Stop what?" I asked.

"Stop this infatuation thing with Cara. You know it'll mess her up if she found out." he said.

I pulled my arm out of his grasp. "I don't have-"

"Oh really?" Jeffery sneered. "You let her win today. By the way, she's not too happy about that, and she insists that she earns the position," I sighed. I had a feeling Cara would do that. "And just now, what was that? You frikin' tell the chef how to fix Cara's meal!"

I glared at him. "Cara doesn't like cabbages. Everyone knows that." I said.

"Yeah. So does the chef, you don't have to remind her. And if you did, why didn't you remind her that Drew doesn't like carrots, Peter hates brocolli-"

"Alright," I hissed, "I get it. You still have a crush on Cara and you don't want competetion." I sneered. It was true. Jeffery had had a crush on Cara ever since she moved in here. He just never had the balls to say anything. And she, being compeltly romance-tolerant, had no clue.

Jeffery's face turned pink, and he broke eye contact. "That's not—Just shut up." he mumbled.

I laughed, and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, she's all yours. I like a girl a bit more feminine anyways."

Jeffery rolled his eyes. "Whatever, man." then he walked back over to the couch and sat down to take the remote away from Drew who pouted.

I let them fight amongst themselves and walked upstairs. I should probably inform the girls that dinner would be ready soon, and to remind Cara to eat before the banquet because they didn't serve all that great of food.

I walked to Cara's door. I knocked before entering, but I didn't really have the patience to wait for a response. I guess I should learn because I walked right in on Cara in nothing but her purple bra (again! Seriously?) and her purple-lace underwear. Not sure what to do or the reason I came here in the first place, I stood there, staring like an idiot. She was so—And the purple—So much purple.

She looked crossly at me, not even caring what she was in, she glared at me. "What the hell do you want?" she demanded.

"Oh, don't talk like that." I heard Marcy say and before I could do anything, she was in the doorway. Her motherly smile changed to a demon's glare when she saw it was me, and that I couldn't take my eyes off of Cara. "You..._pig!_"she shouted and started slapping me left and right until I was out the door. She towered over me like some over-protective mama bear. "Seriously, what is wrong with you?" she slammed the door in my face, leaving me sitting there thinking the exact same question.

_**Cara's POV**_

Marcy was fuming. I think I literally saw smoke coming out of her ears.

"I swear! That boy can charm all the girls he wants, but he does not _know _the least amount of common courtousey." She scolwed.

I waved a finger at her, "Now, now, Marcy. Aren't you the one who said that he cares about us all?" She really should have learned by now that I always use advice against the person who gives it to me.

Marcy glared at me. "Get your dress ready to go. You'll have a quick meal here, a small one of course, so you have room in your stomach at the banquet, but still, there will be at least some dancing before the actual feast, so you'll need to keep your energy up." she babbled as she took the pins out of my hair.

I froze in mid-step of trying to put my tights on while she yanked my hair. "D-Dancing?" I stammered. "I, uh, um. I-"

Arianna giggled, "I'll be right back." she walked out, closing the door softky behind her.

Marcy sighed and gave me a long, helpless look. "Honestly, you're so beautiful, Cara. You're already an amazing warrior and fighter, you need to work on the girl part of you as well."

"There's no time to be a girl," I argued, and slipping a new, stainless tank top on.

"There's always time to be yourself," Marcy said, taking the last pin out of my hair and letting it fall over my shoulders in a wave.

My hair was all the way down to my lower back. I frowned at it. "Marcy, I'm a warrior, a priestess. That's who I am." I said.

She put her hands on my shoulders. She was only a couple inches taller than me. She was older than me. Like, mentor age. "You're also a girl, Cara." she said.

I sighed/groaned. "Marcy, please."

She sighed, "Alright, I give up. No more talk of this. Now why don't-"

There was a slight knock on my door. This person waited for Marcy to open it, instead of just walking in.

It was Jeffery with Arianna, dragging him in by his hand.

"What's up?" I asked the both of them.

Marcy put her hands on her hips and looked at Arianna. "Arianna, Jeffery cannot be in here. We're preparing Cara for the banquet. A man shouldn't be in here. It's disrespectful, and-"

"But he is going to prepare Cara for the banquet," Arianna interjected and Jeffery smiled an awkward smile and muttered, "I was volunteered."

"Arianna, whatever do you mean?" Marcy demanded.

Arianna shoved her brother further into the room and took Marcy's arm, and started walking towards the door. "I mean, he can teach Cara how to dance, so she isn't left out, or even worse, made a total fool." she skidded, "Oh! But if that happens, then you're knight in shining armor will step in to help you and you two will fall in love and-" I didn't hear the rest as Marcy dragged her from the room.

Again, the door closing.

Jeffery stood in the middle of my room with his hands clasped behind his back. He began rocking back and forth on his heels. He finally let out a big breath. "So, is that dress you're wearing?" he asked, nodding to the dress laying on my bed.

I nodded, "Yeah. Marcy picked it out." I said, "I don't know why she's making such a big deal about this. I mean, why can't I just go in my gladiator suit?" I mumbled.

Jeffery snickered, "Because it's a formal event."

I folded my arms and turned back to the mirror. I was still frowning about my hair. It was too long. The rational thing would be to get Marcy to cut it, but she's not here. Hm. How hard could it be right? I slid open the drawer to my desk that I was sitting at, and pulled out my dagger. Screw siccors, it's all about daggers now.

I made sure I had grabbed all of my hair, and then I placed the dagger on a place that was just below the neck line. Just long enough to where I could still put it in a pony tail.

"What the hell are you doing?" I heard Jeffery gasp.

"Homemade hair cut. What does it look like?" I sneered.

Just as I began to cut, Jeffery rushed over and grabbed my wrists, knocking the dagger out of my hands, and dragging me out of my chair. "Hey! Quit it!" I said, reaching for the dagger that lay on the floor.

Jeffery held my wrists out beside me, and held me back from the dagger.

"Are you out of your mind?" he spat, "You can't just slice your hair!"

"Well, it's too long! It'll get in the way!" I argued, "Now, let go!"

"No!"

"Jeffery, as your second-commanding officer, I demand you release me. Now!" I ordered.

His grip loosened and I reached out for the dagger. Little red tendrils snaked out beiside me and wrapped themselves like little fingers around my dagger. They picked it up and placed it in Jeffery's hand. Jeffery's aurora was a deep red color. Kind of went with his sister's aurora, which was a rose-pink color.

"You are _not _cutting your hair," he said.

"Uh, yeah. I am. Now give me my dagger." I commanded, and held out my hand. "Now, Jeffery."

Jeffery shook his head, "No."

I scowled. Are all guys pig-headed, stubborn, and rude? "Give me my dagger!"

"Only if you promise not to cut your hair with it," he said. "I won't let you do that."

"But it's-"

"Beautiful!" He snapped before I could finish.

I stood there, a little speechless. I thought he was just being an ass. Now he—He isn't Seth Arrows. Jeffery's a sweet heart and means what he says. I dropped my arms and sighed. I was taking all my frustration out on him, when I should be beating Arrows down to a pulp.

"Alright, I won't cut my hair with the dagger," I relented.

"Or at all." he insisted.

I shot him a glare, but he kept a serious poker face. "Fine," I scowled.

He put the dagger back in the drawer. "Good," he said with a normal Jeffery-Everybody's-Friend smile. "Now, about this dancing."

I tried to pass off the fact that I can't dance, but my poker face wasn't that good when it came to my friends or people who knew me too well. "Well, you see, I, uh—I never really learned how to dance." I said with a little hesitant laugh.

Jeffery's jaw twitched. "Seriously, you amaze me." he said.

I grinned, " 'S my job!"

Jeffery grabbed my hand and twined our fingers together and without waiting for me to even agree to a lesson, put his other hand on my waist and glared at me until I did what I saw them do in the movies, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I know this part," I mumbled.

"Good. Now let's learn the counts. Shall we start off slow?" he asked.

I nodded, and he begun to count. He would only count up to four. He would do it twice and then we would move. Whoever was leading steps forward, the other back, and then two steps to the side, all while moving and twisting around.

"Seriously, I'll just watch." I said, beginning to pull away, but Jeffery wouldn't let go.

"I am the instructor here, and I say when we are through." he said with a grin.

I glared at him, "I'm warning you _instructor_, if you start counting again, I'll-"

"You'll what? Beat me to a pulp?" he smirked.

I rolled my eyes, "I was gonna say, step on your toes."

"Already doing that. Still doing that." he said, as I stomped on his toe accidentally.

"Sorry, sorry," I said, and stopped. "Jeffery, thanks for tryin't to teach me and all, but-"

"Anyone ever tell you, you had an accent?" he suddenly asked.

Huh? "Ok, seriously, where the hell did that come from?" I asked. I thought we were talking about dancing. Actually, I was gonna tell him that I can't dance and it was futile to try to teach me and if he continued with this he was going to end up having smushed toes.

Jeffery snickered, "You have, as they say in man's world, a hick accent."

"Do not!" I snapped. He continued to snicker. Yes. I do have a slight, accent. "What's the way I sound when I talk got to do with anything?"

He shrugged, "Nothing. I've just always found it cu—Cool. And fascinating. Usually, I hear a lot of bristish accents on the island." he finsihed quickly, the smile completely gone.

It was true. Most of the people that lived on the main island were fancy-pants, with pinkies-up, and a-spot-of-tea. Another thing about me that's weird. But still. "Cool is so not what you were gonna say." I confronted him.

Jeffery pulled away and went to the door. "You'll uh, just uh, try not to do any fancy dancing. Let alone with the king, or anyone special. But, uh-"

"Jeffery," I had never seen him so...bashful before. I grabbed his wrist, "Just tell me what you were originally going to say, and please don't let me go to a freaking dance without me not knowing how to dance." Oh, the humliation. Could I not be made an officical priestess if I made myself look like a fool? What if the king asked me to dance with him and I broke his foot? That would not end well.

"I can't," Jeffery said, "I need to—I gotta-"

His shoulders were shaking, and the tips of his ears were red. I let go of his wrist and went around to get a good look. "Hey, you ain't gettin' sick are you?" I asked, worried. If he threw up, I'd throw up and I don't feel like getting sick at the particular moment.

He shook his head, "No. I'm not gettin' sick." he said.

Whew. "Then why are you actin' so weird?" I asked. He tried to push past me, but I grabbed both of his arms and stopped him. "Jeffery, what's wrong? Please. Is something wrong? Did I do something?"

He grabbed my shoulders and gave me a horrified look. "God, no! Cara, it's nothing you did. I just need—I need some air," he said.

I looked past him at the balcony doors, and pointed to them. "I do have a balacony," I pointed out.

He glanced over his shoulder, "Yes. You do." he said. Then he sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Cara. You're just so—And I can't—Oh god, here I go."

"Hey, breathe. Speak full sentences." I teased him.

His blue eyes flickered red for a moment and then they went back to his regualr sky-blue eyes. His grip on my shoulders tightened before fully releasing and he held his gaze steady with mine.

"Cara, I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world, and not only that, you're the best fighter I've ever seen and I love it when you smile, especially at me. I hate to see you upset or hurt. And it's awesome that you can put up with my sister and her non-stop babbling about fantasies, and Drew and her tom-boy issues, and Marcy with her over-protective mother problems. You just seem to be so perfect, and you're-" before I knew it, his hands pulled me forward, and he pressed his lips to mine.

My eyes stared wide opened at his closed lids. Then, as he deepened the kiss and moved his hands down to my waist, drawing me closer, I let them close and told myself that this was Jeffery. And he was an extrememly good kisser.

_**Seth's POV**_

Marcy and Arianna glared me down. Drew was preparing behind them to kick my ass. Peter was snoring on the couch. All the girls had me cornered.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," Marcy snapped at me.

"I did knock," I pointed out.

"So you should wait for a response from the inside!"

Arianna nodded. "It is wrong," she said, "Especially on the heroines big night. The night her destiny takes place and she seeks out an adeventure. With love, action, and drama."

And she's been reading too many books again.

Drew snorted, "The only thing that actually made sense is the action part, Arianna," she said, cracking her knuckles. "Now, about the pervert. Marcy, what should I to him?"

"We should-"

"Marcy!"

We all turned to look. Cara was running down the stairs, with Jeffery walking behind her like he was in some sort of daze. Cara and Marcy caught each other by the shoulders. Cara with a big smile on her face, and Marcy looking very confused.

"Cara? What's wrong? Did something happen to the dress?" Marcy asked frantically.

Cara shook her head, "No. I just wanted your help with my hair, and I needed to tell you and Arianna both something," she said with a grin.

Marcy looked confused, but Arianna latched onto her older brother giving him a big hug and crying out, "It's about time!"

I didn't think it necasssary, but Jeffery sent me a cross look that seemed to say; _"I've won. You've got nothing."_

_ "Nothing..."_

_ "Nothing..."_

Rain. Screams. Blood. More blood. Just everywhere. White curtains.

"Hey, Arrows!" a voice called and without realizing it, I had Cara's wrist in a death grip. It seemed she was waving it in front of my face while I...It's nothing important. "Are you okay?" she asked, showing some bit of concern.

I yanked my hand away and ran out. It's best that I be alone now. That nobody know. Especially, Cara.

_**Cara's POV**_

"Boy, he sure is acting weird," I muttered and Arianna nodded in agreement. Marcy chewed on her bottom lip. "Marcy," I said and she jumped, "Do you know something?"

She shook her head and a couple strands of her light brown hair came out of her bun. She gently re-tucked them and smiled at me. "Some boy thing, I'm sure. Now, what did you want me to do with your hair?"

Oh yes! My hair! That's the reason I came down here. Well, that and Jeffery and I...Oh God. I would have never imagined it, but at least he had deccency and knew a good warrior when he saw one. Humph. One day I'll show Seth Arrows, I'll show them all that I am the greatest. Of course, without going power-crazed like a bunch of those lunatics on the Tv.

"I was hoping to have it in a style that doesn't make me look too girly," I told her as we walked up the stairs. We meaning, me, Marcy, and Arianna. I peeped over my shoulder and smiled down at Jeffery, who smiled back. Then he went to go explain about our relationship to Peter who simply gave him a thumbs-up from the couch, and Drew who slapped him on the back, in I guess, a playful manor.

As soon as my door was shut, they were both pestering me.

"What did he do?" Arianna asked, "Was he romantic? Oh please! Tell me he at least confessed!"

"Who confessed?" Marcy demanded. "Seth? When I get my hands on him-"

"Oh God no!" I said, horrified by her remark. "Why would you think such a thing, Marcy. I despise Seth Arrows, and he despises me. We are nothing but rivals."

Arianna clasped her hands together. "Oh to think! You might become my sister!"

"Whoa there," I said holding out my hand. "It was just a kiss and a-"

"A _what_?" Marcy squealed, "With whom? Jeffery?"

I simply nodded. I swear Marcy looked like she could be leading an army right now. Then she suddenly eased up and hugged me.

"There's hope for you yet, Cara!" she said.

"Thanks?" I mumbled.

Arianna was hopping up and down, "and what else?" she asked, "You said "and-"! So what else did he do?"

I sat down on my stool and turned to the mirror. "He just asked if I would like to accompany him to the banquet tonight," I said and she squealed.

Marcy hugged me from behind, "Oh! That's wonderful, Cara. I'm so happy for you."

Arianna who had started rambling interupted with. "Oh! And tonight, when everyone sees how in-love you are, maybe the king and council will let you two be partners and go to mans world together."

"Absolutely not!" Marcy seethed and Arianna jumped.

"Aw! But why not?" she asked, "It would make a great romance." she suddenly perked up, "And an even better romance would be if-" she suddenly clamped her mouth shut. She giggled, "Better keep that one to myself," she said. "Well, I better go help my brother pick out a suit. Lord knows he can't even tie his own tie. See you two at dinner." she said, walking out the door.

"What do you think she was going to say?" I asked Marcy.

Marcy shrugged and turned me around back towards the mirror on my stool. "Honestly, who knows with that girl. Too many books, I say. It would be useful if she read books about facts and history and such, but fiction is another thing entirely."

"Have you seen our world, Marcy? Compared to man's world, it's nothing but fiction." I pointed out.

Marcy sighed in mid-reach for my brush. "You do have a point, Cara. Now, let's see to your hair. Do you want it up? Or down? Oh! How about on the side like a french twist? Or a braid. Or a..."

Marcy droned on, and I let her do anything and everything with my hair as I sat there and contemplated tonight's events. I would dance, be with Jeffery, get accepted as a priestess and sent on my first official quest. Of course, they do appoint someone, preferably someone who has been to mans' world before, to go with you. Then there's the banquet where the king gived you his blessing and the best part; a weapon he thinks and god chosen that is best suited for you.

I hope I get a big, blunt weapon. Something unique and awe-inspiring.

_**Seth's POV**_

I ran out of the market place, all the way to the beech, that seemed to be empty except for a few riders riding their steeds along the sand. I sat down on a dune and laid back, staring up at the darkening sky. The banquet wouldn't start until the moon had risen. There were still a few hours to go. Plenty of time to collect myself and think.

_"Nothing..."_

_ "Nothing..."_

I cringed at the reminder of my past. "Go away," I scowled. "You cannot haunt me now."

The voice stopped and I sighed. It was a lie. My past would always haunt me, and maybe even one day, find me. I hoped I wasn't on the island when that happened. And I sure hoped those I cared about most weren't around when that happened.

The others didn't know, and I wanted it that way. To keep them safe. That's my job as their first-commanding officer and the leader of the Eagle Squadron. To protect God's people from the darkest beings. Even if the darkest thing was...myself.


	4. The Banquet

_** I'm so mad at myself! I really wanted to get the banquet in on the previous chapter, but then I thought it was too long and too much stuff happened already so...did I mention that I had no caffeine or sugar today, WHAT-SO-FREAKING-EVER! Game Over man. Game Over.**_

_** Anywho, enjoy! May you be shocked and amazed at the third chapter of...this fan fic! Enjoy!**_

_**Cara's POV**_

Everyone's seen me walk down these stairs a million times. Granted, this is the first time I've ever been in a dress and looked all...girly. Oh by the way, I mean _everyone_. All of our little newbies had gathered in rows behind the leaders (Peter, Arianna, Marcy, Drew, and Jeffery.) Jeffery was closest to the stairs wearing a tuxedo with a white flower in his pocket. The rest of them looked normally dressed. Sweat pants, baggy shirt, or an outfit to wear if they were going out. Pants, and a shirt that had your squadron logo on it.

Jeffery greeted me at the bottom of the steps and took my hand, and kissed my knuckles. "You look very beautiful. Love the hair," he whispered.

Marcy had done a fabulous job with my hair. My brown hair was half-up, half-down with a small pony tail made from the crown hairs of my head, wrapping around my head and flowing down in the back. The ends of my hair were naturally curly, but Marcy made them even more so, and of course, she just had to add little silver flower clips.

_"It matches perfectly with the dress," _

Kill me now. I just want to hear the words from the king. Get my partner (I really hope it's Jeffery) and then out killing monsters in mans' world. Oh! And sight-seeing. I've heard a lot of things about mans' world. Especially, the older parts of it. Where man-kind developed.

As Jeffery and I walked to the door everyone started bowing or clapping, and I had to look at the ground. I wasn't really one for this sort of thing. Okay. Okay. I'm wearing a dress. Is it really that big of a deal?

We walked through the front doors where the carriage was.

So, we were modern with appliances. Like kitchen, and TVs and such, but we didn't really like mans' transportation style. It was killing the Earth. Not a real good design. So on the island, we stick to horse back riding, or carriages. Technically, it would actually be _Pegasus _back riding.

Yep. Here on _Insula Dei _we don't have horses. We have Pegasi. Beautiful gleaming stallions with wings that matched the color of their coat. And like each squadron member, or if you're really rich, you have your own Pegasus. Mine wasn't pulling the carriage tonight. Good. He didn't like labor. My beautiful stallion was probably in his stable or out flying around.

The two Pegasi pulling our carriage were decorated with colors of blue, and the symbol of the Eagle upon the flags that laid over their backs. The carriage, too, was blue with a golden Eagle showing its talons as if it were about to tear into its prey.

Jeffery helped me into the carriage and I sat down, back to the part where the driver would be seated on the outside, and facing...oh god. No!

Jeffery climbed in smiling. His smile faltered a bit when he saw what I saw.

Seth Arrows. And a very beautiful girl that was just clinging to him.

"Seth," Jeffery said curtly, "I did not know you would be joining us."

Seth smiled a friendly smile at the both of them. My glare did not seem to be working. "Yes. My lovely date and I figured it would be better to save the money by taking my own carriage than renting one for the evening."

"_Your _carriage? This carriage belongs to the squadron." I snapped.

"Yes. And I am first-commanding officer." he pointed out, and I think someone should have just dropped a rock on me.

Seth's date giggled and whispered something in Seth's ear. Seth nodded and her wide, blue eyes turned to me. She was pretty. Giggly and way too hyper. But pretty. She was the normal, rich girl you would find on the center island. The King's island. Blonde hair, blue eyes, great figure. Her bright pink dress, in my opinion, was a little too revealing.

She suddenly grabbed my hand and leaned over. "Oh! So, this is your big night?" she asked. Not to mention her voice sounded like one of those too preppy cheerleaders Drew and I make fun of. Her smile was big and wide. "Oh! That's so wonderful! I'm so happy for you! Seth has told me a lot about you."

Seth's face suddenly went dark and he turned to look out the window.

I glared at him and pulled my hand away from Ms. Perky's grasp. "Thank you," I told her and she smiled.

Then she bumped herself on the head, "Oops, silly me. My name is Nadia. Your's is Cara, right?"

I nodded. "Yes. How did you-"

"Seth told me." she replied automatically. She grabbed both of my hands this time and giggled again. "This night is going to be so wonderful for you, Cara! Oh the banquets are always so lovely, and each month the lucky dog, or cat, in your case, deemed a priest, or priestess is so wonderful and happy. And they always wear the cutest outfits." I saw her eyes take in my dress. "A little plain, but I guess it suits you."

Somebody better hold me back from kicking her out. Or better yet. Driver step on it! I may not survive this preppy blonde! God! Have mercy on me!

It seemed like forever, but we finally pulled to the front of the king's castle, and we were separated in the long line from Seth and his obnoxious date. I let out a breath of relief and turned to Jeffery.

"Jeez, I didn't think she was ever going to shut up." I said, earning a slight grin. "Are you okay?" I asked him.

Personally, he seemed a little out of it. He wasn't smiling. It was like that carriage was a mood swapper. Maybe it had some curse to change moods!

Jeffery took my hand, "I'm fine, Cara. Thank you for worrying."

We laced our fingers together and headed for the door. Jeffery showed the guard our invitation and we were led by some Butler through an opposite set of doors, that took us to a backroom to the top of the stair case. And get this. In this room, was the king. Yipe!

_**Seth's POV**_

"Honestly, I don't understand the big talk about her," Nadia said, out of her fake, happy voice. We were waiting in line to be let in, and she was fixing her make-up and making sure her boobs popped out just enough. Trust me, they were. Too much if you ask me.

"She's such a bore. I honestly don't know how you can live with someone like that. I say good riddens to her into mans' world. Don't you?" she asked, grabbing my arm.

She was really shorter than me, and being twice as strong as her, I easily tore my arm from her grasp. "I took you here for one reason. You've paid me a reasonable amount of money. I am _not _here to judge other people." I said cooly.

Nadia sighed and rolled her eyes. Then she grinned, "Yes. Once James sees me with you; Seth Arrows, the finest...everything on the island, he's sure to get jealous. Of course, remember, if he wants to fight-"

"Let him win," I mumbled. "I know." Trust me. With this one, there was nothing worth fighting for.

_**Cara's POV**_

"Your grace," I said, dipping into a curtsy, while Jeffery bowed.

"Rise." the king announced and we did. The king was dressed in white robes (shocker!) and his dark hair was combed back out of his face. He was surrounded by the council. Guys in red robes, with hoods making shadows over their faces. Not the most talkative bunch.

The king smiled at me, his emerald eyes twinkling. "Cara, you've grown so much since you first came onto this island. I am proud of your success and the title that will befall you tonight."

I dipped my head a little. "Thank you, your grace."

The king nodded. Then an outside voice announced the arrival of the first guests. "Ah, the guests are being let it in." he turned back to Jeffery and I. "We will have to wait here for the majority of the guests to arrive. Then you and I will enter together There will be dancing and at the banquet; you will be sitting next to me, and your date across from you; I will bestow your title and the rest will be explained then." he explained.

I nodded. "Sounds wonderful, your grace." I said. It doesn't matter if you're the baddest, ass in the world. When you see the king. You are respectful and you bow. Not that you'd get punished or anything. The king is rather liniant. But it is said, that he has the most powerful abilities in the entire world. So, not someone I would prefer to piss off.

We waited in silence, with Jeffery and I holding a death grip on the other's hand. There were names called. Including Seth and his preppy date. Finally, when the long stream of names settled down to just a couple per minute, the king offered his hand and I took it.

I don't know what I had been expecting, but his hand was just like any other. Warm, fleshy, smooth. Unlike mine which probably had a ton of callouses on it.

We walked to the front of the white curtains, and the king looked back over his shoulder at Jeffery.

"My boy, one of my maids will walk down with you. You won't be announced. I do hope that is okay." he said, and I saw Jeffery nod and stiffly take the hand of a woman dressed up, but looked like she was miserable and rather be somewhere else.

Suddenly, trumpets blasted and I jumped internally. After the trumpets played their tune, an announcer's voice rang out.

"Now announcing, his royal highness, King Dimitrus, and our special guest of honor; Cara Danvers!"

There was an uproar of clapping as the curtains withdrew. There was a sea of faces I didn't know, and a very long flight of marble stairs, that we started walking slowly down. The room itself was big. Completely empty, except for the fact that it was filled with people. Some even had little trays carrying cock-tails and little snacks. Oh! Yum! There were banners on the walls of the Eagle squadron flags, even though I recognized some of the other squadron colors on the floor, like little flags that decorated the tables where you could sit down. See. All of them were being...shown?

The king and I finally reached the bottom and the clapping stopped, and of course, my nightmare was confirmed. As the orchestra began to play, the king turned to me with a friendly smile and asked, "May I have this dance?"

I gulped, and saw Jeffery nodding his luck to me. I nodded stiffly, "Of course, sire."

You bet I started praying. And for once. I didn't screw up. I did not once smash his toes, and I got all the counts right. When the song was over, he bowed and I curtsied, and he walked away over to his throne. Huh. When did that get there?

By now, other couples were dancing. I decided to get off the dance floor and find a cocktail or two. Just that one dance had taken up all my energy. Where were those little suckers with the trays? I want a drink!

I spotted one waiter and tried to chase him down, but he disappeared among the dance floor and I was _not _going back in that jungle. So I resigned to an empty chair and looked at all the dressed-up, fancy people laughing and talking in a group or with their date. There was a group over in the corner of seven people. Three guys and four girls.

Huh? What was this sudden pang in my stomach? I couldn't possibly be homesick. Home was just down the hillside. If I could find a balcony and look out to the north and see the Eagle mansion.

In fact...Ah! There!

I got up and walked over to a balcony that overlooked the city and there in the middle of tall trees and blue flowers was the Eagle mansion. I leaned over the railing of the balcony and took in a breath of fresh air. Down below in the streets I could still see children playing in the light of the lamps. A couple or two holding hands and walking home. Home. The mansion.

The mansion still has a few lights on. That's strange. The clock on the tower read it was past ten. Who was up past curfew? Let's see. Second story, fifth—no! Sixth room on the...right? But if I was coming in from the front it would be the left?

"What are you doing out here?" a deep voice startled me.

I turned to see Seth Arrows walk out with not just one, but two cocktails.

"I, um, I just needed some fresh air," I said.

He walked up to the railing and stood next to me, overlooking the city. I turned and looked with him. The orange glow of the lanterns that lined the street were absolutely beautiful. But I loved to see the people happy. The kids laughing at nothing and just chasing each other around was my favorite part. Then seeing the parents get dragged into the fun. My mentor—Nicholas was like that with me. Or well, he wanted it to be like that. Like I was his child. But I knew from day one, I wasn't.

I was from mans' world. From a couple out there that were most likely dead. And if they were alive—Yeah, there's just no chance. So, as an offspring of man, I had to make myself work ten times harder. Train and learn every minute of the day. No time for fun and friends. Except, when I got to the Eagle Squadron.

Hm. Maybe that's why...

"Are you not enjoying the banquet? It is after all, for you." he sneered.

My home-bound thoughts crashed into agitation. "Why are you out here, anyway?" I scowled, "What about your date?"

There was insane giggling just inside from the balcony and we both turned. I saw Nadia with some brown haired guy and they were twirling and laughing. Drunk.

"Nadia wasn't my date. Believe me, I would have taken someone much more...polite." Seth said as we watched her twirl away. "She paid me to make her prior boyfriend jealous."

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the balcony. "So, she dumped you for another? Not so friendly with the ladies as you though, eh Arrows?" I smirked.

He leaned back on the railing with his elbows. "So, why am I out here with you?" he said casually.

I cringed. "Hah! Don't sell me so shortly, Arrows. I do have better taste than the rude likes of you."

"Rude? I saved your life today." he said.

The golden tendril. Forgetting that this was totally formal, I whipped around and slapped him. He staggered back, not letting go of the two cocktails. "You damn bastard! I knew that was you! Why would you do that?"

He seemed to ignore the red mark on his cheek and he stood tall. "That monster was already enchanted. I saved your life. Your pride however, is another matter."

I scowled. "Damn you! Damn you to hell! Now I have to go find the king and tell him that I'm not ready." I began towards the inside of the ballroom but he caught my arm.

"You would really throw away your chance to see mans' world, and defeat me?" he asked.

I glared at him. "I will defeat you, that's for sure. But it won't be any thanks to you. I'll defeat you without any means of cheating or trickery. When I defeat you Seth Arrows, it'll be because I've trained and trained. Because I put all my effort into it."

He stared down at me, and then, get this, he grinned. "You mean _if_." he smirked and walked past me.

"Hey! I-"

"It is time for the feast! Please show your secondary invitation if you are to dine. If not, continue enjoying your time here in the ballroom." the announcer...announced.

I scowled. That announcer had allowed Seth to get away. Damnit. Now how was I going to confront him? How was I going to tell the king that I wasn't really ready? That it wasn't me who really killed the monster today. I can't just stand up and say it straight to his face. I have to get him alone. Saying it in front of the crowd would be too much.

Knowing what I had to do. I set off towards where the crowd was gathering near an archway. One of the maids grabbed me and pulled me from the crowd.

"Huh? What?" I stammered.

"We're to take you this way, miss." she told me, "Your date will be waiting for you, and you will enter with the king."

"Like before?" I asked her.

She nodded.

Yes! That was my opportunity! I had to set things right.

Again, there was a small back room with white curtains. Ugh. Getting really tired of this.

"There you are!" the king exclaimed as the maid pulled me into the room. Jeffery and the king were seated on opposite couches and looking like they were having a deep conversation. Jeffery smiled at me and I sat down next to him.

"Cara, I hear that you left without even dancing with your date," the king chided me.

I gulped, "I'm sorry, sire. I'm not one for dancing, much. He understands that."

Jeffery nodded, "It's true, your majesty She may look beautiful and act sweet, but she has the heart of a warrior." he grabbed my hand and kissed it as I blushed like crazy.

The king smiled. "You've found yourself a good one there, Cara. Be wise to keep him."

"I intend to," I assured him. oh. Damnit. Focus. Focus. "Your majesty, there's something we need to discuss," I said.

The king blinked and leaned forward. He sighed. "Do not think me blind young Cara. I can determine gold from silver."

Yipe! "So, y-you saw?" I stammered. He nodded. "your majesty, I assure you, I had no idea what he was thinking, but I know that I did not defeat the monster on my own, and I fear that I am truly not ready to face the horror of mans' world."

The king chuckled. "And for that very reason, Cara, I know you are."

I looked up from my lap, and Jeffery squeezed my hand. "You do?" I said.

He nodded. "Yes. It was your final test, Cara. To see if you would give up your own pride and dignity to commit to what was right."

Test? "Did I pass?" I asked.

The king laughed, "Of course, my child! Of course! With flying colors, as they say in mans' world." then he stood up, "Now, they won't announce us for this one. The trumpets will just sound, and this time, you can sit by your wonderful date here. He is rather charming and quite and intelligent fellow. A future member of the council, I hope."

Jeffery immediately brightened. That was only like, his dream. "Sire, are you for certain? Are you making a jester?"

The king laughed again," No, my son! I am speaking the truth just as Cara did. You are quite intelligent and your mind is something this island needs. In the future," he added.

Jeffery nodded. "Of course. I am much too young as of now."

"And much more experiences await you," the king said.

I swear, there is a code that only boys and depict and the king and Jeffery were using that right now. I hated that code.

Both of them stood up, and shook hands after Jeffery bowed. Then Jeffery offered me his hand and pulled me up with a bright smile on his face. I smiled back. I passed the final test. He had heard the words he was yearned to hear for years, and my final dream was about to come true.

_**Seth's POV**_

I had no need in buying a ticket for the feast. I had received one. Perhaps because I am the first-commanding officer of the top squadron on the island. And perhaps because of—Well, I was sitting at the long table alongside mayors and other higher class people. The class I grew up in on this island. Nadia did not purchase nor receive a ticket, and neither did her prior boyfriend, but I imagine that they had left the banquet a long time ago.

Now, we were all rising as the king entered with Cara and Jeffery entering behind him. Cara went to one side of the table next to the king, and Jeffery came and sat in the vacant seat next to me, across from Cara.

I know Marcy would slap me if I said this out loud but Cara looked absolutely stunning in her dress. She wasn't as revealing as Nadia, nor did I intend she would allow herself to be. Cara had something Nadia didn't. Dignity. She looked radiant as the king smiled at her and then Jeffery, and even briefly at me.

What was this old coot planning? Why had I been invited to the feast?

The king raised his hands, "Behold here, this marvelous young woman," he exclaimed as he gestured to Cara who dipped her head and blushed at the clapping. I clapped, too. This was a special night for her. "She has exceeded in every field of training. Physical, Emotional, and Truthful." he and Cara shared a humorous twinkle in their eyes before the king turned back to the rest of us. "tonight, we celebrate Cara opening a new chapter in her life. One of incredible adventures and fabulous stories, I'm sure." he looked at her.

She nodded, "Of course."

his smile widened. "Excellent. Now, I suppose you should receive your weapon."

Ah. The weapon. I received mine only a few months ago. The weapon is chosen by the council, the king, and supposedly God himself. The weapon portrays the wielders character. For example, my weapon is a golden ring that I fit on my thumb. A ring can represent many things. In my case, it is a bond. To keep something within me. Something I would rather not come out.

The king signaled for the servants to come out, holding Cara's new weapon. Everybody gasped. For it was beautiful. A handcrafted, carved with clockworks designs in the helm and the bow. The arrows had blue and silver feathers on the end, and the quiver was marked with eagle talons and two texts. Both in Latin.

The first read; _Protege me dominus._ Which means; Protect me Lord.

The second read; _Iram dei invoco in quo percussit inimicum. _Hm. I wonder what that one means? I've never heard it before, or seen it in any scripts.

Cara was delighted with her weapon and took it into her hands eagerly after receiving the kings' blessing and confirming her transformation into becoming a Priestess.

There was cheers and congratulations all around. And then, as everything began to quiet down, we were ordered to sit, and the servants came and took Cara's weapon away to wrap it up and have it ready for when she left.

As we were all sitting, the king remained standing.

"Now, as we all know, Cara here must have a partner to venture along with her on quests into mans' world."

Oh yes. I almost forgot about this. I had a partner, too. Jeffery. He went with me once, we came back, and he refused to return to mans' world with me. I bet he wouldn't be that way if he were chosen as Cara's partner.

"I have thought long and hard for this decision, and Cara my dear, I do hope you agree. And so, as your king and as your greatest mentor. I have seen great potential in this pair that I am about to name. These two are powerful and strong together. An unstoppable force. A team that will be sure to bring great pride to their homeland."

Cara was jumping up and down in her seat. Everyone was on edge. I was just hungry.

"Seth Arrows! Would you please stand up?"

There seemed to be a hush over the room. Like even the dust itself was shocked. Slowly and a little reluctantly, I stood and I felt Cara's dreaded look fix on me with a glare. I, too, was upset about this.

The king smiled at me, "You are to be Cara's partner!" he announced and more clapping erupted.

I stood staring at Cara, and she sat staring at me over her goblet. It felt as if we were the only two in the room, and it was a very, _very _small room.

_**Cara's POV**_

What?! Seth Arrows! No. No. This has to be some kind of joke. He can't—Am I even sure I heard the king right? Yes. Seth was standing, and we were staring at each other like we were complete and total strangers.

I would have to—Have to—Go to mans' world with him!

Lord, what have I done to upset you?


	5. Morganville

_** Okay! I am so sorry that I haven't brought in Claire yet. Just had so much to explain and I don't like to go over 6,000 words per page. But this chapter. This chapter for sure. Be amazed and always, ENJOY!**_

_**Cara's POV**_

Jeffery and I left right after the meal, which was extremely good. There was meat, more meat, and did I mention the meat? So tender and juicy, with the right amount of seasoning and sauce. I was in heaven. Until I saw Jeffery not even touching his food, and sending side glares to Seth who seemed to be in a trance, staring down at his own food.

Now, Jeffery and I were back in my room after I had shown my new weapon to the others and got dozens of compliments and a picture taken to put in Arianna's photo album. I even let her take a picture of me and Jeffery all dressed up.

I had no idea where Seth was, nor did I care. That was a lie. We were going to be partners, and kill monsters in the mans' world. We would have to work out a plan, and of course, we were going to leave. I wanted to leave as soon as possible, but I could never tell what was going on in Seth's mind. Jeffery seemed pretty upset about it.

As I changed in my bathroom out of the dress and into a tanktop and sweats I heard him raging; "Seth? When he spoke so highly of me! Seth must have done something. Pursuaded the king somehow."

I sighed. I peeked my head out of the bathroom door. Jeffery was pacing across my floor. He had ditched the jacket and had unbuttoned the top half of his buttons on his white dress shirt.

"Jeffery," I said and he stopped as I came towards him. "It's okay. The king knows what he's doing. There's no conspirecy."

"There might be," he huffed.

"But you can't prove that," I pointed out.

"I could question Seth," he said, then he straightened, "Yeah! That's what I'll do. Stay here, I'll be right back and then _we'll _go to mans' world together."

I cringed. Did he really just- "I know you did not just tell me what to do," I seethed.

Jeffery turned around and caught me by the shoulders. "Cara, I'm not telling you what to do. I just want to talk to Seth, figure out a way for me and him to swap places so you and I-"

"Jeffery, you can't," I snapped. "The king freaking blessed it. With the lord's name. To ask him to revoke that would be like taking back a prayer. Is that really what you want?"

Jeffery's arms sagged back down to his side. "Well, no, but-"

"Then quit this. Look, Seth and I have recieved our assignment. It's just a little ghost in some western town in some place called Texas." I told him as I sat down on the bed. "It's a small exorcism and it shouldn't take more than a couple weeks. A month at the most."

He sighed and sat next to me. "And what about after that? Will you come back?" he asked.

"I-" Well, shit. My plan had always been; Once I get to mans' world, stay and kill a bunch of monsters. I never expected a relationship! "My plan was to stay,"

"See!" he cried out and grabbed my hand so I had to look at him. "I want us to be together, Cara. I don't want to see you leave with Seth for a month. What if you decide to stay even longer? What is another assignment comes in that takes up a whole year? What if-"

"You're using up a lot of "What ifs'" here, buddy." I cut him off. I leaned into him and wrapped my arms around his torso. "You worry too much. Everything will be fine." I assured him. "You trust me, don't you?" he nodded. "And Seth is your friend, right?" Again, he nodded. "So, why are you so worried?" I asked. "We all know each other, and there's no reason to worry." I kissed him quickly on the cheek and smiled at him, earning a small smile. "I promise to you, Jeffery, I will return within a month. And if I don't, you have every right to come and get me."

He grinned, "How about, three weeks?"

"How about you accept my deal or I'll just never come back." I sneered and he laughed.

"Alright, alright. A month. Not back by then, young lady, and I will have to come and get you." he pulled me into his lap and we kissed, and kissed, and a little bit more kissing, until we both fell asleep as he talked to me about mans' world and some of the sights he had seen.

_**Seth's POV**_

The assignment was recieved at the banquet. An exorcism. A small ghost in a small town. Simple. Minor. Cara would be able to handle it on her own. The part she was going to have a hard time with was blending in. She naturally stood out as a warrior. And there was no doubt in my mind she would make sure that everyone around her knew what she was. Which was bad, of course. Mans' world wasn't about honor and dignity. It was about strictly one thing; Power.

That's why I was going by myself. It would be too much for her, and Jeffery was ready to tear my head off. I had nothing to do with the kings' decision. I was just as shocked as the rest of them.

As I loaded up my Pegasus, Zedeikiah, with food, a sack full of american currency, weapons, and a map of the location. Zedeikiah was a white stallion with pure white wings tucked on his back. His was clam and quiet and only allowed me to order him.

I slid the map out of its pouch and looked at. Hm. What an interesting little place. Small, in a most unlikely postion considering the amount of activity.

Suddenly, Cara's Pegasus, a black mare and stubborn, reared up and began to whiny and kick at her stand. She was a fighting spirit at heart. Cara chose a good name for her. Bellator. Latin for warrior. Suitable.

I named my Pegasus after an old king. Regal and respectful.

I held my hands up in front of her stall, so that she wouldn't freak out the other Pegasi. "Calm down, now. Calm!" I ordered as if I were talking to my own Pegasus.

Bellator continued to be obnoxious and I was growing agitated. Zedeikiah became agitated as well and backed up further into his stall, whining. I turned to him and stumbled upon a very pissed Cara.

"_What _do you think you're doing?" she demanded. She had a sack slung over one shoulder, her sword clipped to her belt, and her bow and quiver over the other shoulder. She quickly dropped her things and ran to her mare who soothed instantly at Cara's touch.

Once the mare was calmed I answered Cara. "I am going on the assignment by myself. You are not ready," I told her.

"And who gave you the right to determine if I'm ready or not?" she snapped, gathering her things and preparing Bellator.

"Mans' world is nothing like the island! It's different and-"

"Cruel, mishivious and you can't trust anyone there. I know," she finshed and gave me a look of determination I had seen on her face so many times. "The king gave me his blessing, and I have been given the honor to carry out the assignment. Besides, I put up with you. How can mans' world be so different?" she sneered.

Something refrained my mouth from speaking, so I simply turned back to my Pegasus and completed packing. "I am leaving, now. Are you-"

"Ready!" she said as she swung herself over Bellator's back who snorted in my face. They trotted out into the pasture outside the barn and turned so Cara could look at me. "Are you coming, or what?"

She was determined and ambitious. I'll give her that. But those two traits can also take a turn for the worse. I know. I've seen it happen before.

I swung myself onto Zedeikiah's back and we trotted out next to Cara. "The king gave _us _his blessing," I told her and she nodded.

We both took a running start with our horses and took off into the night sky, leaving _Insula Dei _behind us. Passing the smaller islands underneath and making a small turn, towards mans' world. I checked over to see Cara guiding her mare gently over the mountains. This was a new terrain for both Pegasus and rider, but both were strong.

"So," Cara said once we had put _Insula Dei _far behind us and all I could see was ocean. "Where are we going?" she asked.

I slid out the map from the pouch and handed it to her. As she looked over it I said, "Morganville, Texas."

_**Claire's POV**_

_**(Time; A couple hours after Seth and Cara left the Island.)**_

"Run!" Eve screamed at me. Her dyed-black hair streaming out from behind her as she tried to ourtun the vampire; Brandon. I was running, too, but I've never been good at anything athletic. Especially, running. I always managed to fall. Like now.

Eve ran straight past me, blinded by her own fear, and I was left cowering in the monsters' shadow. He loomed over me with a grin, fangs, and red eyes. A scream built up in my throat, but died away as he reached out for me.

"Claire!" a deep voice, Shane, called my name, but I was too scared to do anything. Too scared to scream. Too scared to move. "Claire!" Shane cried out again, and I heard heavy footsteps as someone was running.

Shane?

Suddenly, Brandon's face contorted and his grin faded. I felt my limbs in my body gradually began to shake themselves out of shock and I crawled backwards as a girl with long, brown hair, fierce blue eyes, came around behind Brandon with a sword at the nape of his neck.

_**Cara's POV**_

Vampire! There was nothing about vampires in the report! Just ghosts. Why would the council leave out something as important as a vampire? Vampires were totally major. Among the most powerful monsters in the world! To fight one was enough. To fight a whole army...I hope this is the only one in town. There usually is in the other reports I've read.

The girl scrambled out of the vampire's shadow as the vampire went stiff under the touch of my blade.

"How did I not smell you?" the vampire asked.

I saw four figures standing in the doorway of the house of which front yard I was standing in, ready to behead a vampire. But I didn't acknowldge them. See, Seth and I had been flying overhead when I saw what was going down. Despite Seth's severe scolding, I flew Bellator down here anyway.

"Because," I answered sharply, "You believe you are the most terrifying thing in the world, don't you? Well, the reason you didn't smell me is because no one can predict their own death." Oh. That was a good one.

The corner of his mouth tugged, "Is that so?"

Suddenly, he flipped back, but I had seen this move with Seth many times. I jumped backwards, just as the vampire got a fist full of dirt. The vampire growled at me and lunged. I deflected his claws with the hilt of my sword, but he clipped me on my shoulder with a surprise slash from his other claw.

I went down on one knee, and he took that change. I took it, too. I was gonna ram my blade straight through his heart. Afterall, vampires can't stand silver. And my blade was pure silver.

Before either of us could do anything, a golden tendril snaked out, grabbing the vampire by the ankles and lifting him up in the air. Seth came out of the shadows, holding his hand up as if he were holding a balloon.

He looked crossly at me before turning to the vampire.

"Are there more of your kind here?" Seth questioned it.

The vampire spat down at Seth, barely missing Seth's foot.

Seth sighed and waved his hand, sending the vampire flying over the human neighborhood, screaming. Then he turned to me. "I told you not to do anything rash and you just go after a vampire! He almost killed you!"

I stood up, clutching my shoulder, "Key word; almost." I sneered. Seth opened his mouth to say something, "Oh shut up. I'm not dead, am I? I'm just fine. Quit treating me like a child."

"Well, quit acting like one."

"Only when you stop acting like a big jerk. We're not on the island anymore. Ranks don't matter." I snapped.

He folded his arms over his chest. "Yes, well common sense does. And you have none of it!"

"Um, excuse me." A small voice said from behind me.

I noticed Seth's eyes widened a bit before he turned away. "You deal with them, since you were so eager to give up your life for them," he scowled.

"Jack-ass," I muttered as I turned to the source of a voice. It was girl. A feeble looking girl. Brown hair, blue eyes, pale-ish skin. Hm. Where have I seen that before? "Yes?" I said to her. We were about the same height, too. Except, I was wearing my boots that gave me an extra inch.

"Um, thanks for uh, saving me." she said sheepisly.

"No problem." I told her.

She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. Then another girl, a darker girl, appeared behind her. Dark apparel, dark hair, dark make-up. Showed off her curves. I'm not sure if Marcy would be proud to see a girl like this, or depressed. I thought it was kind of spunky. She seemed to be around Marcy's age. Older than me by a couple years.

She pointed to my shoulder. "You got hurt," she said and I just nodded. She smiled. "Why don't you come in and I'll fix that up for you?" she offered.

"Oh, um, thanks, but I, uh-"

"Hey Shane!" she yelled over to the two guys standing in the doorway. One with slightly lighter-brown hair than mine, jumped and yelled back; "What, Eve?"

Eve. How completely ironic.

"Get the first aid kit!" Eve barked at him.

"I ain't your slave!" he snapped back.

"It's fine," I told her, "I can patch it up myself. 'S no big deal."

Eve looked at me and blinked. She grabbed the girl in front of her by the shoulders and the girl tipped a bit, but Eve wouldn't let her fall. "You two kind of look alike!" Eve said.

I ignored that statement. Completely irrelevant. "Brown hair and blue eyes are common, no?" I said.

"Well, yeah, but same height, same eye shape. Whoa! You two could almost pass of ass twins, except your hair is longer and little Claire-bear here can't hold a sword. Ain't that right, swetie?" Eve asked shaking the girls', Claire's shoulders.

Claire nodded. "No. I suck at everything athletic." she admitted.

I smiled a bit. The soft voice kind of reminded me of Arianna. "Not everyone can," I told her. "In fact, it's not really a trait, it's more of a learning thing."

Eve leaned forward, "Seriously though, let me fix up your shoulder. You're getting blood all over your shirt." she said.

Man. If Marcy saw this—Marcy wasn't here. None of them were. Oh no. I had totally left without saying goodbye. Not even to Jeffery. Oh no. No. No! "I, uh-I have to go, now!" I said, jogging to the fence. I wasn't quite sure what to do, so I just jumped over it and landed on the other side. "Nice meeting all of y'all," I said to them before running down the street.

"Wait!" Claire's small call rang out, making me stop. She was standing in the street with her hands cupped around her mouth. "What's your name?" she called out to me.

Should I tell her? I did fight for her. But that's what priestesses do. They fight to protect humanity. Still. Claire seemed different. "Cara!" I shouted out to her. "My name is Cara!"

"You told her your name?" Seth growled at me as he wrapped some medical tape around my shoulder. "Why would you do that?" he demanded.

I shrugged, and winced. "I dunno. She just seemed so-"

"Sweet and innocent? Trust me, it's their disguise. All normal humans are dirty and sleezy on the inside. They all have one goal; and that's power." Seth said.

I looked at him. "How do you know? Have you actually ever held a communication with one? And ridiculing them does not count." I sneered.

He finished tying the tape and we got up from the bench in front of the church. He turned his back to me and picked up all of our bags. Apparently, I had more than flesh damaged. That freaking vampire tore some of my muscle, too. Very sore.

"We'll be staying here. Father Joe has provided us with shelter until our job is done." Seth told me as we walked up the path.

"Father Joe?" I said, "Have you met him before?"

Seth shook his head, "Not directly. But he's a child of God. And he's a priest. Not our kind, but a good man." he added before I said anything.

But still, it brought another question to mind. But as red-haired man in a black robe-type-thing came out of the church and over to us, I slipped it in the back of my mind to ask later.

"Father Joe, I presume," Seth said to the man. He couldn't be any older then Nicholas. Maybe younger, even. Kind of cute, too.

The man nodded, "Yes. And you two must be Seth Arrows and Cara Danvers," for some reason I got a long, wary look.

Seth nodded, "Yes. We-"

Father Joe took some of the bags off of Seth. "Quickly, come inside. Morganville isn't exactly the safest place to be at night." he said, in a rushed, breathless manor.

"You mean, vampires?" I asked and Father Joe tripped over his own feet.

He looked at me, "How did you-"

"Ran into one," I said before he could finish, "It's where I got this," I pointed to my shoulder and Father Joe turned suddenly concerned.

"We'll have to wash that and properly tend to it. Seems rather nasty. Does it hurt?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Where shall we put our, uh, horses?" Seth asked.

Huh? Why didn't he just call them Pegusi? That's what they are.

Bellator and Zedeikiah were both standing in a patch of grass within the church's shadow. Father Joe spotted them and nodded. "Right. There's a barn in the back. I suppose they can stay there." he said.

"I take it we are not your first visitors," Seth said to him.

Father Joe smiled over his shoulder as we walked into the church. "No. I have met quite a few. Granted, this is the first time an actual priest and his priestess will be staying with me."

Excuse me! _His _priestess? What?! I am my own priestess!

"I have prepared a room for the both of you just down this hallway. There's a stairway. Take it down and I hope you find the rest." he said, "I will take care of your, uh, horses."

Seth nodded as I scowled at his presumption. Father Joe ran back outside. Seth and I took the directions Father Joe has given us and as promised arrived at a room. _A _room. With one bed, a desk and a closet.

Seth and I shared a look of disgust.

"No way amd I sharing a room, much less a bed, with _you_." I said.

"Likewise," Seth said.

We stared in silence. The room itself was small. And dark. I flipped on the switch but the light was rather dim. I sighed.

"So, what do we do?" I wondered.

Seth dumped the bags on the bed. He opened his and pulled out a sleeping bag. "I will sleep on the floor. You may have the bed. My hope is to be gone before a second night." he said.

"Oh. I didn't know I had to have your permission," I snorted.

He turned with a smirk, "Would you rather sleep on the floor?"

"No," I scowled and he chuckled.

After getting our things ready for tomorrow, we settled in for the night. I made sure my shoulder was cradled and I was well bundled up. The air conditioner worked fantastically in this place.

The room was quiet and I knew neither of us was asleep, so I asked the question I had been holding.

"Seth," I whispered into the darkness.

"Hm?" he replied.

"Do you know of any islanders that came to mans' world, and stayed?" I asked.

"You mean; Did one of our kind fall in love with a human and then had a baby that was doomed to be taken back to the island?" Seth said.

Well, jeez. I didn't think of it like that. "Well, sure. I guess—Yeah." I finally said.

Seth sighed. "No, Cara. Nothing like that happens. However, sometimes islanders do volunteer themselves to go to mans' world to breed."

I sat up, disgusted. "What? That's horrible!"

"How else to you sugest we keep the island populated?" Seth mumbled.

I laid back down, thinking about his question. "I don't know. Maybe, actually search for true priests and/or priestesses, instead of treating our kind and man like animals and _breeding _them."

"It does sound horrible. I agree with you there," he said, "But we must be able to keep up with mans' world. The more it populates. The more we have to. It's a chain, Cara. An unbreakable chain."

"Nothing's unbreakable," I said.

Seth let out a long breath. "You keep thinking that. Goodnight, Cara."

"Goodnight," I replied.

Seth drifted off to sleep after a long few minutes, but I was still awake with this new information. Breeding? That's just...disgusting. I mean, it's one thing to fall in love and have a kid, but that's love. It's unconditional, and you can't control it. You can't just show up at someone's door step and say "Hey. Let's have a baby to help populate this secluded island, and it will be because I volunteered, and I don't have any feelings for you at all."

Or worse. What if they _lied _about their feelings.

I shook my head and rolled over onto my shoulder that wasn't injurred. No. Priests and Priestesses are against lying. Especially, about one's emotions.


End file.
